500 Looking to buy a 500 next

[Zantium]

I currently have a nice 54 plate Mini Cooper S which is a great car but I never really use the power.

I've had hot hatches for a number of years now but modern cars feel "too fast" for the limits on the roads, too capable. I'm on a quest for a car that reminds me of the classic mini or 500, something that's fun to drive at 30 mph without feeling like it only really comes into it's stride well beyond legal speeds.
I'm really hoping that a 1.4 sport or lounge (probably sport) will meet this requirement as I've always liked the look, it's as near perfect piece of automotive sculpture as available in a modern car.

I have a budget of about £7k which seems to buy me a good low mileage 2008 model. My wife unfortunately doesn't like them so I haven't driven one yet but instead I've looked for alternatives - I keep coming back to the 500 though so next step is to drive one and see if it fits the bill.
I'm expecting the 1.4 to have a bit of go but obviously nothing like the same as I currently have which is fine - fun, smiles and style are the main objectives.

I haven't decided on colour yet, but I've fancied a red car for a while now so that might be where I end up. Though black (especially with red leather interior!) really does look good and for the first time in 25 years, I actually like it in white too.

Hopefully it's love at first drive whatever the colour.

 

[Aussie500nut]

I'm really hoping that a 1.4 sport or lounge (probably sport) will meet this requirement as I've always liked the look, it's as near perfect piece of automotive sculpture as available in a modern car.

I'm expecting the 1.4 to have a bit of go but obviously nothing like the same as I currently have which is fine - fun, smiles and style are the main objectives.

Hopefully it's love at first drive whatever the colour.

Agree on the shape and style

If it's the fun factor and something different you want, suggest you try the TwinAir as well.
Nothing beats the sound of the twin and performance is supposed to be similar to the 1.4

And while at it try the Dualogig gearbox with the paddles as well

Both take a bit of getting used to but well worth the effort. Will be nothing but smiles

 

[The Twins]

I had many powerful cars and just got fed up of the running costs and totally agree with you about them only feeling useful beyond the legal limit.

I went for the 500 Twinair. For me it's the only modern car that has the feel of a classic mini to drive.

The TA engine is quite punchy so it feels nippy enough. The sound us amazing, you get a great induction growl when you accelerate but when cruising its as quiet as the 4cyl models.

I like the fact that it pays homage to the original 500 engine too.

I've make a few mods to mine too which keeps me really interested in it.

Next mid this weekend is the Abarth SS suspension kit ; )

 

[wellfan]

Would have to agree about the Twinair engine being an absolute cracker. It has a lot of poke when required, and is a pleasure to drive. This engine can cruise effortlessly at motorway speeds, and quite a bit more (not that I would know). Never feels as though it is struggling, however, does take a wee while to get used to driving a car with only two cylinders. Reminds me of a big single cylinder motorbike, absolutely loads of useable grunt, but gear changes at lower speeds need a bit of getting used to.
I can only comment on my wife's Twinair, which I use at every opportunity. I have also been used to hot hatches, Golf GTi's and Pug 205 GTi's. The twinair is just as much fun when driving within the speed limits.
I am sure owners of other specced 500's will give their views.

 

[44sunsets]

Agreed that the TwinAir is the logical choice for "most fun to be had within the legal limits"

Definitely test drive one and see how you like it. If you drive it hard, fuel economy will fly out the window, but it's worth it for the grin it'll put on your face.

 

[The Twins]

If you drive it hard, fuel economy will fly out the window, but it's worth it for the grin it'll put on your face.

Very true : / : )

 

[Zantium]

Very interesting! Thanks for the responses.

I did fancy the idea of a twinair, but as far as I can see it means spending more money and it's slower/less usable on the motorway according to the reviews?
Somewhere between the 1.2 and the 1.4 seems to be the consensus.

I've not heard the twinair in the flesh either but I do like characterful engines, having owned a great sounding VR6 for a number of years.

Hmm, cat-among-pigeons.

I went to look at a 2008 black, 1.4 sport today - drove nicely, very bouncy but not harsh, good seat and a nice steering wheel (the stupidly fat Mini wheel has bugged me since I found long journeys = numb but achy thumbs).
The car in question though had seen a little too much paintwork action O/S C pillar to round the window had been repainted but fantastically. Looking at the scratches on the window rubbers, I'd say "hedgerow scuffing" or similar.
Not for me at the money they were asking or even a chunk lower.

 

[Zantium]

Yeah, I've had a look at prices, the entry price for a twinair is another £1000 than I was looking to spend.

 

[jrkitching]

Used 500 prices are crazy stupid.

Parkers book value for a 2008 1.4 Sport (50,000 miles) sold by an independent dealer is £6065 .

Good news for existing owners trading in, but prospective 500 purchasers would do better to buy a new or pre-registered car.

If you're looking at a used 1.4, a Panda 100hp will get you almost identical performance for significantly less money. The same book valuation on a 2008 100hp Panda is a much more reasonable £3710 .

 

[Zantium]

Well it's down to the looks as well and the panda just doesn't interest me I'm afraid.
I'm not a panda-phobic as such, I had a Panda Sisley many moons ago.

I can't stretch to a new one either, £11,700 is definitely over my £7000 budget. It's already tough to justify updating from the mini, it still looks like new and runs perfectly.
I'm not one for changing cars normally though, I generally keep them until they start taking too much maintenance or some idiot crashes into it for me. Since leaving the motor trade in '93 this is probably the first time I've bought a car because I fancied a change.

 

[jrkitching]

It's already tough to justify updating from the mini, it still looks like new and runs perfectly.

Looking again at everything you've posted so far, I'd recommend keeping your mini.

 

[306maxi]

Keep the Mini....

 

[Zantium]

I like the mini a lot, it's a very good and capable car but I never loved it like the VR6 I had before or my classic 1275 Coopers S hence I'm not really tempted to change it for a later Mini.

Since the 500 came out though I've always admired the looks, one of the best looking cars around imho. I also like the Alfa Romeo Mito and the Suzuki Swift design wise.

I can afford to change it if I want but I don't "need" to, that's the only thing that makes it "tough". I'm an IT guy, I do have a tendency to over analyse every purchase I make - which drives my Mrs and myself mad.

If I could buy a decent steering wheel for the Mini that cured the cramp, but I've tried all the factory steering wheels and they're all stupidly chunky, roughly twice the cross section of most cars steering wheels. Maybe I'd put it on narrower tyres to make it a little more nimble (205x45x17 atm) too but my main issue is I've tried to find a better steering wheel for 3 years and haven't.

So really, despite the Mini being close to what I want in a car, it just falls short in a couple of crucial areas.

 

[306maxi]

Well, Mini wheels are designed to run runflats so they're always going to be chunky.

 

[Zantium]

lol, I'm talking about the steering wheel being too chunky! but I stuck it all in one sentence - I'll edit it.

 

[kelshaw]

hello there, of all of the cars that i have had over many years different makes and models i now have the fiat 500 twinair this is without doubt the most fun car to drive regards geoff kelshaw

 

[306maxi]

With all due respect I think you need to drive some more interesting cars if a TA 500 is the most fun car you've driven!

 

[scout]

I understand where Geoff is coming from on this. My twinair is fantastic fun and I've driven/owned some 'good' cars. If its all about fun within the legal limits then the twin air is very hard to beat, add in the retro styling and you've got a winner whatever way you look at it.

 

[306maxi]

I understand where Geoff is coming from on this. My twinair is fantastic fun and I've driven/owned some 'good' cars. If its all about fun within the legal limits then the twin air is very hard to beat, add in the retro styling and you've got a winner whatever way you look at it.

But come on, they aren't particularly fast, don't handle brilliantly (not appallingly bad or anything), the steering isn't particularly talkative.......

Just going off what someone else owns on here, I'd say jnoiles Lotus Elise is a far more fun car to drive.

The time we spent together in that car on the track together..... well..... it was just special

 

[Ulpian]

But off the track, in day to day motoring, with ease of access and sheer convenience, combined with a wonderfully responsive engine that puts a smile on your face just popping down to the shops - the TA is real fun, and I think this is what is meant. I've driven a whole host of wonderful cars in my life and the only other car that put a similar smile on my face was the Citroen SM. That was astonishing as much as fun, because nothing had, or has, such a combination of sublime suspension comfort and amazing performance and utility. I like utility I'll bet the Ferrari FF can't be driven with the two nearside wheels on the grassy bank of a road, and deal with the ditches and lumps at 80mph without any sensation inside the car... wow! That was amazing. And fun.

An Elise is a pain to get into, is too low for daily convenience, ie. visibility, and the novelty of such dedicated sports cars soon wears off.

Fun on the track, doubtless, but the TA is fun every day. I think that's the point.